Underneath It All
by xjadedjoy
Summary: Kelly knew there was something about Jennifer the moment she laid eyes on her.
1. Inevitable

**Underneath It All.  
**_Chapter 1; Inevitable._

Pairing; Kelly Collins / Jennifer Stone.  
Rating; T.  
Disclaimer; I do not own the characters or movie.  
A/N; You'll read, just because girls in military uniforms is secretly everyone's pleasure. And, plus, another pleasure, enemies / one girl with muscles, yeah?

* * *

I think it was the moment when I could just look into her eyes and see _her_ for what she really is, beautiful.

I know for a fact that when she's in a tank top, she seems like the most beautiful girl in the world, or when she has her hair brushed, straightened and down, she's absolutely gorgeous.

I also know that I'm the _only_ person who sees this softer side of her, the side with a smile that can light up the room, or a touch so soft, it seems like heaven. That day when we won second place was the fourth biggest change in my life, it was the day when I glanced into her soul and saw it was beautiful. She instructed me, loud, clear and demanding that she needed to meet with me. I rolled my eyes, but met her in her room/office. She shut and locked the door, then leaned against it, head down.

In that dark, dingy room, I fell in love with her, but now that I think about it, it was inevitable. She finally looked up, my arm going sore from holding it at my forehead for a couple of minutes. She looked right into my eyes, hers were softer and I felt my body relax at the sight of them. "I'm sorry." She whispered. My eyes widened and without thinking, I moved closer to her, until I was just a breath away. That position so familiar, yet so different.

"For what?" I whispered back, not knowing why she, of all people were apologizing to me, after all I thought she thought she was always right.

"Your blanket." I rolled my eyes, then stepped back. I wasn't going to give her the luxury of forgiving her. It's probably what she wants, then she'll put that evil smirk back on and blackmail or hurt me somehow. I waved my hand.

"Yeah, whatever." I said icily, then saluted her and went for the doorknob. Her hand wrapped around my wrist and when I looked up into her eyes, I had to catch my breath.

"What it is about you, that's so different. I know you can tell me. You're good at stuff like that." I pulled my hand out of her wrist and crossed my arms.

"Stuff like that?" I asked her mockingly, she looked away, walking towards her desk and playing around with papers.

"Yeah, that whole-" She paused and I could see her visibly swallow. "Heartfelt… stuff." I laughed at the obvious fact she was trying to be deeper then she usually is. I sat down on her bed and put my hands in my lap.

To be honest, the moment I saw her, was the third biggest change in my life, it was the moment she entered it. The first was my parent's divorce and the second was my mom meeting Joe. I always had this strong emotion around her. I thought I hated her, but I was wrong, you can't hate someone so much, then want to compete with them, be around them and have everything they want, that's just an enemy. If you hate someone, you want absolutely nothing to do with them.

"I don't think I can actually answer that. It's something you have to find out for yourself, Jennifer." Her head popped up, but she didn't look angry that I used her name.

The moment I realized I didn't hate her, was the moment she said she was leaving. My heart stopped in that moment and I didn't want her gone, I wanted her here, with me. She looked back at her desk, tapping her fingers. I had to do a double take, because she looked nervous. She took a few steps towards me, then stopped, taking off her hat and playing with it in her fingers. I saw her visibly take a deep breath, before marching towards the bed and sitting down on it briskly. My mouth opened, when her fingers lightly touched my cheek and my breath stopped, again.

"Your different, Kelly. You have this power about you, it's…" She trailed off, her fingers falling from my face. I couldn't stop looking at her.

"Can I call you, Jen? I mean when it's just you and I. I respect your authority and you will be referred to as ma'am any place else, but Jennifer is such a beautiful name." She looked at me, her eyes meeting mine and nodded. I smiled, from ear to ear. "Alright, Jen. No offense, but you don't really know how to have fun. I haven't seen you off the school grounds since I got here. Drill team wasn't fun until I got here. If, with the respect to your authority, 'cause I see you think your authority is the best of you, I'd like to invite you to my house." I put my hand on her arm, softly, but with plenty of meaning and, just like the hug, something ran through me, like if I just try, I could get through to her.

"How about you come to my house?" I smirked, but didn't answer her, until I was at the door, turning the knob and could see her visibly nervous, again.

"Sure, Jen." Her shoulders relaxed and I opened the door. I saluted, standing up straight and kicking my heels together. "Is that all, ma'am?" She stood up, too.

"Dismissed!" She yelled back, then smiled at me and that's when it all started.

We met every weekend, at her empty house. Her mom died. She hasn't told me how, yet and her Dad is always gone. She'd always be wearing her uniform, because I'd be wearing my uniform. I didn't go to her house one Friday, went home, ate dinner with Joe and mom, then went to her house, with a bag over my shoulder. I was planning on staying. She opened the door, looking surprised to see me.

"Hey, Jen!" I put my bag near the door and waltzed in, like usual. "Do you mind if I stay?" I could see her out of the corner of my eye, as she went rigid.

"Um, yeah, sure." I turned around and crossed my arms. I haven't actually been in her room. Almost 7 at night and she was still in uniform, a white t-shirt and army pants, boots on.

"Alright!" I said excitedly, walking to the back porch, where we usually sit and talk. You wouldn't believe how much of a talker she is. Okay, well, she's not. She asks me questions and I answer them, about my life. She sits down next to me and I put my legs across her lap and lay my head down, smiling up at the stars.

"Why do you want to stay?" She asks softly, her hands dead still on my legs.

"I love talking to you. I love the way I know your listening, even if I'm in another room. The way you just keep asking questions, like my life is the most important thing. I was late today, so I need to make it up." She laughed, a little and it was music to my ears. "Actually, I want to know a little about you." She shrugged.

"What can I say? My dad's a military freak, so he's always gone. That's it." I sit up, leaning, against her, my head on her shoulder.

"So, that's why you are, too?" She jumped back, looking at me.

"What? No, I'm not a military freak. I'm nothing like him. Nothing." She looked away. "I could never be like him." I took her hand. The ice in her voice, melting my own veins.

"Jen?" She looked at me and then sighed, realizing that she just yelled.

"Can you promise me, something?" I nodded, squeezing her hand. "Right before we moved here, just last year, I was a trouble maker, smoked a couple of times, smaller drugs, stealing. I disappointed my dad, so when I tried to make it better, I just couldn't, no matter what I did, drill team, captain, he just always looked down on me. Promise me, that I can keep this a scret from him, not because he'll look down on me, but because I don't want him looking down on you." She turned to me, a breath away.

"So, you look down on everyone else, because you can't make the one person you need to make, proud." Her eyes closed.

"Yeah, I guess that's how it works." Her forehead met mine. "Until, you came along." Then her nose touched mine. "You were the one person that could soar above me. You are like an angel." Her lips met mine and my other hand grabbed her wrist, squeezing like it was my lifeline. When she pulled away, I couldn't seem to open my eyes, for fear it was a dream. She tucked hair behind my ear. "I really am sorry, for your blanket." I opened my eyes and smiled.

"Can you keep me warm, tonight?" There's that smile I love the most, the one that lights up a whole room. She stood up, pulling me with her. I walked behind her, my hand in hers. She lightly pushed a door open and flicked on a light. I knew it was her room, the moment she looked down. The first thing I saw was the picture of her and a man, both in uniform. "Your dad?" She nodded. "Am I ever going to meet him?"

She looked up, eyes full of emotion. "I don't want you to meet him. The guy I'm trying to make proud, is nothing like you. He's dirt compared to you." She looked away. I wrapped my arms around her.

It's the first time I saw her cry, silent tears. I sat with her on the bed, her arms around me, her front pushed into my back and I fell asleep. I woke the next morning to eggs and bacon and for once, her in a white tank top, with boxers.

--

Tonight she had to meet with her dad, so I went home, then came here and now I'm lounging on her bed. I heard something bang downstairs, then her pounding feet, then the door slamming open. I sat up and she sat down, her lips attacking mine. I pulled back, dazed.

"I can't stop him. I even told him how much I was in love, how I met you the beginning of last year and couldn't stop thinking about you. He doesn't understand." Her arms wrapped around me. She put her head in the crook of her neck. "But, of course I knew that. We're still leaving." My heart dropped into my stomach. I totally forgot, up until now. I hazily stroked her back, my mind going blank.

"I love you." She shot up, looking straight into my eyes. My hands were unbuttoning her military jacket and I slid it off, slinging it across the room. I climbed around her, untucking her legs and unlacing her boots. I threw one of them with the jacket, then stood up, looked at the other and angrily threw it at the wall. "When?" I asked, softly. I felt her hand grab the end of my shirt and she tugged, pulling me into her lap. I wrapped my arms around her waist and just cradled into her, her arms holding me tight. I buried my face in her neck. She put her cheek on the side of my head.

"I love you, too." We sat like that for a good hour, before I heard her sigh, so I moved my head, to look up at her. I smiled, because she was smiling back. You wouldn't think so, but she was a pretty fun girl. She could joke and she absolutely loved to dance. Did you know she actually hated Brad? He was jerk and all he cared about was the drill team. I know for a fact he only liked me, because I was a big help to his real love for the drill team. "So, you came here and you were different and the moment I saw you, I knew that. I knew you could endanger what I had going, that strong girl, which every body fears. You could possibly get to the weaker side of me." I laughed and she stopped.

"It's not weaker side of you, it's the more beautiful side of you." I poked her nose. "I already knew that. I have you figured out, remember?" She laughed. I moved from her lap. "Jen, I could ask my parents-" I held put my fingers to her lips. "Just here me out, please?" She nodded, so I moved my fingers. "I know, for a fact, my dad's not going to care. My mom might not like it, but she'll deal with it. The only problem is Joe, but he love's my mom so much and he cares for me, he'll let it slip. He won't say a word, 'cause he doesn't want to jeopardize his own job, which means you'll keep yours. You can still sleep where you always do. A new family will occupy this house, when your dad leaves, so on weekends, you'll have to stay with us, but you'll like it. I promise." She oddly smiled and then leaned in, putting her hands on either side of my face, kissing me slowly and passionately.

"Actually, babe. I was going to say, that I don't care if I stay with you, because I'll be with you. I was going to ask if you were ready, after all, you're the one with the loving family." I had to find my head first, before I tackled her with a hug, making us fall backwards.

"Yay! Yay! Yay!" She was laughing with me. "I don't know what I would do if you left." She kissed the top of my head.

"Oh, you lived once without me, I'm sure you could do it, again." I looked into her eyes.

"Yeah, but that was before I met you."


	2. Part Of The Family

**Underneath It All.  
**_Chapter 2; Part of the family._

A thank you to;  
Croaker001, MaxximumRide666 & Bladed Darkness.  
For reviewing, I think you should keep doing it.

* * *

My little brother was a menace. All I wanted was just to spend some quality time with my new family, since they've been in the hospital for a week. So, I went over there for the weekend and it was hectic. Joe was trying to catch up on work he missed while he was gone; helping mom out with the baby and then mom was filled up with the baby, dinner and chores. I had to talk to them while they were running around. I should've just slept in the barracks that weekend. Jennifer would've let me sleep with her in her bed, but I slept at home and didn't get an ounce of sleep.

The annoying trumpet went off and with 3 hours of sleep, I barely heard it. It sounded distant and I just rolled over, falling back to sleep. "Kelly!" I waved my hand and fell back asleep, again. I felt somebody pushing at me, "Kelly, get up!" Then I realized it was Carla and rolled, right out of bed. My limbs were so heavy with sleep, that I barely made it to the line and no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't stand up straight. Oh shit, I thought as Jennifer's face was inches from mine. I stood up straight and stared straight ahead, she nodded and continued walking down the line. _Phew_.

I almost fell asleep in two classes. So, I slouched my way back to the barracks and barely got off my shoes and jacket, before falling asleep.

I slept until the need to pee was too much. I opened my eyes, to a dark room. I found a clock, almost 9. I slept since 3. I went to the bathroom and when I emptied my bladder, I realized how hungry I was. Although, there was nowhere to get food, now.

"Kelly." A smile broke out on my face at the familiar voice and I spun around on my heel, to Jennifer, who was leaning against the frame of her door, a smile on her own lips. She nodded her head towards the door and I followed her into the room. She flicked the lamp on her desk on and rummaged through her desk, pulling out a plastic carton, then handed it to me. I opened it and was met with today's lunch. I took a bite and sighed in relief. "I came looking for you today, to see if you wanted to go to lunch, but you were passed out, so I figured you might need this later."

"Mm, ya." I said in between bites, then sat down in the chair across from her desk. "Remind me not to go over there next weekend." She laughed.

"The baby?" I nodded, finishing up what was in the carton already, then standing up and throwing it away. "Wow. I was always surprised at your appetite." I shrugged. "Hey, Kel. I was wondering after classes tomorrow, if I could take you out to eat. There's a nice restaurant in town. If you aren't too tired." I looked at her.

"And how are we supposed to get there?" She smiled, reaching for her coat and pulling out her wallet. She handed me a little credit card type thing. I looked at it and my mouth fell open. I lunged at her, rocking her back and forth. "You got your license?!" I whispered excitedly.

"You see, driving is important to my Dad, because it's important to the military. So, these past couple of weeks, when I've been out, he was teaching me how to drive, especially since he'll be leaving in a couple of days, he had to show me." I kissed her on the corner of her mouth.

"I'd love to go get something to eat with you tomorrow. I got all the sleep I needed, today." She ran her hand over my arm.

"I'll pick you up at your house at 5, okay?" I nodded, then handed her license back to her.

"I'll be ready."

--

I stuttered a few times before getting out, "Yeah," because she looked absolutely beautiful. She was wearing a button down Oxford shirt; a pair of nice pants and her hair was straightened and framed around her face. She laughed and I took her hand.

"Mom? We'll be back by 8, okay?" I heard a hurried, "Yeah, Yeah. Don't be late!" Then we were out the door and in a nice black car. "This is your car?" She nodded.

"It's actually my Dad's. He can't really bring it with him to Europe, so he gave it to me."

We went out for a nice walk after the dinner. "I wish things were different." She whispered as we sat on a bench. I looked at her. "I mean. I wish I could just love you, without any worries." I smirked at her. "What?"

"You're thinking too much. I'm not going to stop loving you, probably never." I leaned up and pecked her on the lips. "And, maybe I can't do that whenever I want, but I can still do it a lot." She smiled. "Maybe, we ended up not telling my parents, but we did that so you can come over to my house every weekend without a worry. I can wrap my arms around you every weekend and that's all that matters." Her smile grew wider and my eyes opened. "Oh, guess what!?" She laughed. "I almost forgot, with the dinner and everything, but my Dad's coming to town this weekend!" She kissed me.

"You're going to tell him, aren't you?" I frowned.

"You don't want me too?" She shook her head.

"No, I just can't believe it has to wait. Just don't let him tell the commandant or your mom." I held out my pinky and she linked it with mine.

"I won't. If I do that, mom will probably kick you to the couch every weekend and I don't really want that."

--

"Jennifer!" I yelled, laughing at the same time, trying to run away from her. I ran behind a tree, but she was fast and I felt her arms wrap around me, picking me and swinging me around. I was laughing so hard, my face was turning red. I struggled to get out of her grip but she was strong. We fell down on the ground and she pinned my hands above my head.

"Say it!" She tried to say menacingly, but there was smile on her face. I shook my head no, trying to wiggle out of her grasp. "Don't make me do it, Kelly." I shook my head, again. "Alright, maggot!" And this time she did sound menacing, but I just laughed as her hands fell to my side.

"Agh, okay!" She stopped tickling me. "You are the baddest, best captain around." I stuck my tongue out at her. "There!" I lightly pushed her and she fell backward, grasping her shoulder dramatically.

"Why, Kelly!?" I laughed. She stood up. I held out my hand and she pulled me to my feet. "Are you ready to kick all the other drill teams this year?" I smiled, wrapping my arms around her.

"Oh, of course." She wrapped her arms back around me. We stood like that, for at least 5 minutes, forgetting that we were actually practicing for drill team, my head above her chest, listening to her heartbeat, when somebody cleared their throat. We pulled apart rather hastily, to my smiling dad.

"Dad!" I exclaimed, running up to him, he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed tight.

"Hey, baby!" I stopped squeezing him, letting go with one hand and turning to Jennifer real quick, who was standing back, arms crossed, looking anywhere beside us. "Is that the famous Jennifer?" He whispered to me, but her eyes still caught mine. I nodded my head and he held out his arm, motioning for her to join the hug. Her eyes asked me for permission and I waved my own arm, she walked tentatively into my dad's arm, but he squeezed her, knocking her into me and making us both laugh. He pulled back, all of still smiling wide and I winked at Jennifer, she squeezed my arm and I knew in that moment, from the look in her eyes, she felt like she had a family. Dad was rummaging through his bag. "Guess what?!" I clapped my hands together.

"Gifts!" I yelled, throwing my hands up and shifting my feet with impatience. He laughed, pulling out a brightly colored, ruffled scarf and wrapping it around my neck. He pulled out a small ring and turned to Jennifer.

"Kelly, here says you're a fan of jewelry and apparently this means something like, 'good will' or something of the sort." He held out the ring and she was smiling wider then ever. She took it and looked it over, before slipping it.

"Thank you, sir." My Dad laughed.

"Sir, ooh." He winked at her, then patted me on the shoulder. "Alright, girls. I have yet to see the baby." He smiled once more, before turning around and walking back towards the house.

I was going to turn around and pick up her hand to inspect the ring, but I got halfway around, when her hands grabbed handfuls of my shirt and I was yanked into a kiss.

I need to tell my Dad to buy her gifts more often.

--

"We're back!" I yelled into the oddly quiet house. I looked back at Jennifer, who had her back turned, closing the door. I cocked my head, handing the bag of groceries to her. "Where are they?" I asked her and she shrugged.

"Check the kitchen." If I knew they were suddenly all going to disappear, I wouldn't have agreed to Jennifer offering to get the groceries we needed. I get one foot in the kitchen, before bright colors assault my senses and my eyes widening, jaw dropping.

"SURPRISE!" Was the loud echo that greeted my ears, all from Carla, Joe, Mom, Dad and few of the other girls. I jumped up and down excitedly. A chorus of, "Happy Birthdays," followed the unison surprise.

I turned around to Jennifer, who shrugged. I shook a finger at her, "Oh, you!" I yelled excitedly, quickly hugging her.

I ran to my Dad, next, who I haven't seen the week he visited last time, just for our Drill Team.

In all my excitement, I didn't even realize half our barracks were there and Jennifer wasn't acting like my enemy, until everyone but Carla was gone and she mentioned something about Jennifer having a heart, after all.

"Wait, what?" I asked her. She looked at me.

"This was Jennifer's idea." I smiled, finding Jennifer, who was laughing with my Dad and my heart melted as I watched her in slow motion. She was utterly beautiful.

--

"I missed this." My Dad said, as he stepped over a walk. I looked at him in surprise. It was his idea to take a walk down one of the hiking trails.

"Missed what?" I asked him softly. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"Just, you and I." I laughed.

"Yeah, it has been hectic with the new baby and Jennifer." He smiled down at me.

"Don't get me wrong, the new baby is adorable and Jennifer is like my second daughter, but I didn't realize how much this meant to me, until…" He trailed off, his voice getting dark at the end of the sentence. He sat down on a bench, patting the seat next to me. "I have to tell you something, Kelly. Just listen to me before you say, anything. I really need to tell you this and I might find the strength in me, again, okay?" I sat down slowly, nodding my head. His smile is gone and was replaced with a depressed frown. He took his hands in mine.

"When I went to Africa, something happened. Something not good. I have a disease. The doctors here don't know what it even is. Don't judge, yet. The doctors in Africa where I was could be able to fix it quickly. I needed to tell you that before I left. In case something happened to me. I won't be back for months, maybe even a year, Kelly." He stopped and I squeezed his hand, tears pricking my eyes. "I love you, I need you to know that and I'll still have my cell phone on me. I'll call whenever I get the chance." A tear ran down my cheek.

"It's going to be okay, Dad." He smiled, again and nodded, then wrapped his arms tight around me.

He held me tight, rubbing circles along my back as I sobbed into his chest.

--

"Jennifer? May I talk to you?" Jennifer's head whipped around, mouth falling slightly open at who was standing in Kelly's bedroom door. She arrived at Kelly's house an hour, ago and expected to see her by now, but instead her Dad appears.

"Of course." She smiles and he sits down next to her on the bed.

"Do you know you're like a second daughter to me?" Jennifer's smile widens, but the fear in his voice makes her worry. "I can see how much you care about Kelly, the love in your eyes, the way you protect her and I admire that." He stops, putting a hand on her arm. "I need you to keep protecting, help her through what I'm about to tell you. I don't even have the power in me to tell you the whole story." He squeezes her arm. "I'm sick. I'll be leaving for a long time and this is going to devastate, Kelly. I've already told her and I can see the pain in her eyes and it's killing me. Please, promise me you'll take care of her." A tear ran down her arm and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I promise you, sir. You can count on me." He pulled back, standing up.

"I thought I could. I'm leaving tomorrow." He pointed a thumb towards the door, giving a small smile. "Go, find her Jennifer. She needs you."

Jennifer doesn't hesitate as she jumps up and runs out of the house.


End file.
